Infections by Mansonella perstans, while often asymptomatic, can be associated with angioedema, pruritus, fever, headaches, arthralgias, and neurologic manifestations.

M. perstans can also present with Calabar-like swellings, hives, and a condition known as Kampala, or Ugandan eye worm.

[3][4] Mansonelliasis is caused by nematodes (roundworms) in the Mansonella genus that reside in the skin or certain body cavities.

It is likely that aside from being caused by the worm itself, some of the pathological changes observed are induced by the immune response to the infection leading to some of the various symptoms mentioned above.

[citation needed] Examination of blood samples will allow identification of microfilariae of M. perstans, and M. ozzardi based.

These include centrifugation of the blood sample lyzed in 2% formalin (Knott's technique), or filtration through a Nucleopore membrane.

It is important that the sample be allowed to incubate for 30 minutes to 2 hours in saline or culture medium and then examined.

[1] Additionally, to differentiate the skin-dwelling filariae M. streptocerca and Onchocerca volvulus, a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was developed using small amounts of parasite material present in skin biopsies.

[3] Prevention can be partially achieved through limiting contact with vectors through the use of DEET and other repellents, but due to the predominantly relatively mild symptoms and the infection being generally asymptomatic, little has formally been done to control the disease.

[5][7] Mansonelliasis is found in Latin America from the Yucatán peninsula to northern Argentina, in the Caribbean, and in Africa from Senegal to Kenya and south to Angola and Zimbabwe.

[5] In parts of rural South America, men have been found more susceptible than women, possibly due to more outdoors work by males as children, and possibly due to cooking fires serving as deterrents to vectors for women who perform more domestic duties.

[8] Since most Mansonelliasis is asymptomatic, it has been considered a relatively minor filarial disease,[5] and has a very low, if any, mortality,[9] though there is little data on which to base estimates.